Legend of the North
by nome anchorage and northren 26
Summary: The old Railroad tale of how an outcast saved a town in the cold darck winter of 1875
1. The story unfoulds

Legend of the North.

By gh22.

intro

To any one who didn't know the railroads of Alaska of today they would think of them as nothing more then fare northern lines serving small towns and mines but if you were to go back fare enough you would find that back in the day they were just as important to the then territory as they were to the lines in the lower 48 in the late 19th century.

One of these lines was the Nome Anchorage&Northren RailRoad which as it's name implies ran from Nome to Anchorage and other parts of Norther Alaska.

It is from the town of Nome a very interesting legend was borne it is the legend of how an outcast rose from rock bottom to a hero. Are story begins in the late winter of 1875.

Chapter I

The morning of January 3rd 1875 was cold and damp as usual the Nome to Anchorage main line was quite with snow nearing the tops of the rails from the storm last night.

suddenly the rails start to vibrate as a whistle blows in the distance and the draft of an locomotive could be heard then a single blinding light comes into view and as the light gets brighter the chuffing gets loader and faster and then out of the morning mist a Rogers built 4-6-0 ten wheeler comes flying past at 40MPH nodoubt heading back to Nome with a line of five Pullman's.

At the throttle was a large black an white Alaskan Malamute who looked like he had been out on the road for days with little to no sleep this particular engineer has been known for never being late and has been known to push his crew to there limits to get the job dune.

With the throttle in one hand and a pocket watch in the other he would look at the speedometer then back to his watch opening the throttle one more notch every time he then turned to his fireman a light yellow Chinook. "more wood now!" not saying a word the fireman opened the firebox door walked to the tender grab an arm full of wood then walked back over to the firebox and through the wood in closed the door then sate back into his seat box then took out his watch it red 5:45AM and they weren't due to arrive in Nome until 10:00AM and to say the lest he along with the rest of the crew were beat they had been up since 7:00PM yesterday.

"look Steel we've been out on the road since late yesterday and unlike you most of us aren't workaholics so can i at least a few mints to rest?"

Steel looked over at his fireman with a look on his face of "no sleep until the job is dune."

"that's what i thought." he said to him self as he set back to his job regulating the boiler pressure.

Back in the coaches all was quite with most of the passengers asleep except one a young red an white female Siberian husky who was looking out the window watching the flat tundra roll by she and her mom and dad and her younger sister were returning from a short vacation in Anchorage and now all she could think about was how good it would be to get home.

Just then the conductor showed up.

"morning Miss Williams." he said.

"you know you don't have to be so formal just call me Jenna."

"ok Miss Will...uh...i mean Jenna." he said caching him self.

She couldn't help but laugh a little seeing the conductor tripping over his words and then it hit her.

"I'm sorry i don't thank i got your name?"

"oh it's Star."

At that point Jenna's father woke up which got Star's attention.

"good morning Mr. Williams."

Mr. Williams stretched while trying not to wake his wife who was sleeping next to him.

"what time is it?" he said.

"it is now 5:47AM."

"good, what's are arrival time back in Nome?"

"are arrival time is 10:00AM but knowing Steel we may be there before that."

Jenna secretly groaned to her self at the mention of his name she never really liked him and yet he'd had his eye on her ever since she and her family had shown up in Nome back in 1866 one thing she had noticed about him was that he gotten the idea in his head that he is the best engineer on the road just because he has never been late and he all ways the engineer on the Railroads name Train The Anchorage Limited.

"well then im going to try and get a little more sleep then." Mr. Williams said dosing back off.

"very well then." Star said heading to the conductors compartment.

Jenna decided to try and grab a little sleep her self before they got home.

Meanwhile back in Nome despite the early hour the rail yard was a buzz of activity from mail clerk's loading bags of mail to be sent out on the morning trains too switcher's kicking car's around the yard but the main point of interest was the round house and engine servicing track.

One might not know it but the ash pit is just as impotent to steam railroad operation as the coal and water tower it's just not as glamorous or as well known as the position of Conductor, Firemen, Brakeman or Engineer in other words the job of an ash pit men is a nobody's job a job for those the Railroad doesn't trust with the operation there trains or locomotives.

Mr. Anderson an old human and the Mangier and division operator for the N,A,&,N was standing by one of the four ash pits in the yard with a Baldwin 2-8-0 waiting to have its ash pan cleaned but the worker assigned to this pit was nowhere in sight he took out his watch it was now reading 5:51.

"where the heck his he?" he said to him self putting his watch back into his pocket

"wolves you can never trust them." he said to himself

"well i better see where he is." he said walking off into the yard.

Near the depot two figures could be seen moving in the shadow of the station one looked like that of a human maybe Russian the other looked to be that of an anthro wolf hybrid.

"this is bad idea." the Russian said.

"Boris will you stop complaining." said the wolf

"ha me complaining i am not complaining but vhat I'm trying saying is zhat your going to be in hot vater if Anderson caches you."

"what ever." the wolf said making a dash from behind the station to behind a storeg shed with Boris fallowing close behind.

"you know something?"

"what would that be?"

"vhy is it that even thou you know for a fact zhat zhay vill never let you behind zhe throttle of a locomotive you still sneak off to zhe station and vatch zhe arriving and departing trains and dream of being at zhe throttle?"

"well maybe one day i will be an engineer."

the wolf said dashing behind another shed Boris running behind.

"slow down boy Boris Aleksandrovsk is no spring chicken!"

he said running up behind the wolf only to have the snow on top of the shed come sliding down on top of him when he got there.

"I'm no spring Penguin either."

he said dusting the snow off him self

at this point the wolf had positioned himself behind the shed to were he could see the arriving track at the station but unbeknown him there was someone standing right behind him but Boris noticed him and tried to get the wolfs attention.

"b.b.b.b.b.b.." the old Russian stuttered.

the wolf turned around and said.

"what the mater Boris cat got your...tongue?"

he said coming face to face to a every displeased Mr. Anderson.

"Balto what time is it?" Mr. A. said taping his boot covered foot in the freshly fallen snow.

Balto poked his head around the corner of the shed and saw the station clock.

"it's 5:53 sir." Balto said nervously

"and I'll have you know that No75 has been sitting on pit number 2 for about 10minits now!"

before Balto could retort Boris cut in.

"yes sir Mr. Anderson sir ve vill be head back to are pit now!" Boris said pushing Balto back in the direction of the locomotive servicing area.

And just before they were out of sight Mr. Anderson called out.

"IM WARNING YOU ANIU YOU KEEP THIS UP YOUR OUT OF HERE THE ONLY RESON WE KEEP YOU ON IS CUSE NOT MENY PEAPLE WOULD TAKE YOUR PLACE!"

Balto just sighed and continued back to the servicing track Boris bring up the rear.


	2. Steels return to Nome

Chapter II

It was now 7:02 when the distant sound of a high pitched single chime whistle filled the air as a lone station master took out his watch.

"three hours early you never cease to impress Steel." he said to him self and sure enough a familiar 4-6-0 came shooting over the horizon on it final approach to Nome and with in minutes the express train pulled into the front street station in a cloud of smoke and steam and Once Steel made sure the brakes were set he blow one long blast on the whistle before dismounting the locomotive.

Once on the ground he was meet by the station master.

"A head of schedule as usual Steel you never cease amaze.

"All in a days work." he said looking back at the line of cars to see Jenna and her family getting off the train. "All in a days work." he said to him self

"Well then i guess you should get ol25 here serviced."

"Gladly." Steel said as he and the rest of his crew headed back to 25.

Just before Steel mounted the cab the station master said.

"alright then just get on down to pit number two and they'll get you set."

Steel then got a devious grin a on his face at the mention of that particular pit he then turned to the station master and said. "with pleasure sir." he said mounting the cab wunce in he turned to his three crew members.

"well boy's looks like we can have a little fun after that run."

"and what would that be boss?" the Brakeman Chow Chow asked.

"we get to drop in on are 'friends' at pit no 2."

"oh right." the firemen said.

and with that the three along with 25 headed off the pit 2.

Balto and Boris just finished servicing no 66 when an all to familiar single chime broke the silence of there side of the yard and sure enough a certain 4-6-0 pulled up that Balto wished hadn't.

from the cab Steel called out.

"what's the mater still not on the locomotive team yet ay Bingo!" Steel taunted

"don't listen to him don't even look at him live a long life." Boris whispered to Balto

"my name's Balto." Balto said in a low annoyed voice.

"but you can call him idiot." Boris muttered to him self.

"what ever." steel said as he and his crony's climbed out of 25's cab

He then walked up to Balto looked him in the eye and said.

"look here wolfy we just got back from an all-nighter and i need ol25 here cleaned and serviced before i get back. now get to it! he said as he head off for town.

Balto just sighed and said.

"well Boris lets get to it." he said moving to wards the locomotive.

Steel stopped and looked back over his shoulder then told his friends.

"keep an eye on thus two."

"sure thing boss." the Brakeman said.

and with at Steel headed towards the station.

Meanwhile at the station Jenna was standing on the platform watching the sun rise when how should walk up to her but Steel.

"hay Jenna enjoy the run?

"ye almost as much as you did." she said a little uneasily.

"thanks." Steel said.

Jenna could since Steel was trying to hit on her again she need to think fast.

"Hay Steel why don't we step inside it's a little chilly out here."

"but of course Jenna." He said opening the station door as Jenna made her way inside it was still early enough to where weren't many people there the only things in there besides them was the station master who was in the back and a potbelly stove.

"now you wanted to say something Steel?"

"hmm ah yes like i was going to say Jenna i think you and me should go out for a night on the town later tonight."

"rely?" she asked playing along she then got an idea.

"yes i could take you to diner then maybe a walk along the shour afterwards."

"i must say Steel that offer is very tempting." she said slowly backing him in the direction of the stove.

"it is." he said tacking a step back.

"well i should let you know that i might 'heat things up'." she said and no sooner did she say that last line she had backed into the door of the stove and he let out a howl of pain as he felt his buns go up in smoke all the commotion then brought out the station master.

"what the heck's going on here!"

Jenna used the confusion to her advantage and left the station unknown to her she was head right the locomotive servicing track.

Meanwhile back at pit 2 Balto and Boris had just finished cleaning out 25's ash pan and were just about to start polishing but unknown to them the firemen and brakemen were stand on the other side of the locomotive holding two buckets of ice cold water.

"alright in three two one now!" the firemen yell's as he and the brakemen run around the other side of the locomotive and dump there load on an unsuspecting Balto and Boris.

When the water hit them they booth jump at lest an inch off the ground.

"cold enough for yu's?" the Brakeman laughed

Balto just sighed and started to shack to water off him self then set about get Boris back on his feet.

"why don't you three just screw off!" Balto said after getting the old Russian back on his feet.

"ooo I'm so scared." the firemen laughed.

"ye what you's going to do howl us to death?"

at that last bit the three railroaders broke into laughter.

Meanwhile Jenna had been running for about 2 minit's now she had only stopped running to make sure Steel wasn't fallowing her.

it was then she realized she didn't know where she was all she knew was after she got out of the station she ran in the direction of the train yard but where she was in that yard she didn't know.

Just then Jenna heard what sounded like laughter she moved towards the source of the laughter she fallowed it until she came to the side of a shed.

She poked her head around the side of the shed it was then she found the source laughter for on the other side of the shed were three anthro railroader's a Firemen a Brakeman and a familiar looking Conductor and the source of there amusement was an old Russian human and someone she seen a few other times before Nome's locale half wolf outcast Balto.

Not wanting to jump in the middle of what they were doing she decide to wait until the three railroad men left to see what was up.

"nice one Nikki!" the fireman sputtered inbetween laughter

"that one never gets old."

"thanks one of my favreat's."

"no problem, well it look's we've dune are job i say we head into town drinks are on me."

not needing to be asked twice the three started to walk away Balto sighed un relef that the torment would be over soon.

But unknown to him the fireman had stoped and picked a small lump of coal rolled it into a small snow ball and throuth it hiting Balto right in the back coseing him to fall face first into the ash pit.

"half wolf in the side pocket there." Nikki laughted.

"nice shot." Star added.

and with that the three walked off laughing like a bunch of hienus Jenna stuck her head back around the corner to find they were gone then saw the old Russian trying to get Balto back on his feet it was then she made her move.

She ran to where the old Russian saw trying to pull his firend up.

"need a hand?"

Boris was scepticle he knew she hung out with Steel but he allso knew he wouldnt be able to pull Balto up on his own.

"fine give me a hand."

and in a few secend they had dug him out.

Balto who had taken a full face of ashes had to wipe it from his face to see strate and when he did to his suprize he found he was standing mayby two or three feet from Jenna.

"oh..uh thanks Jenna." Balto said a little sheepishly.

"your welcome."she said a smile creeping onto her face.

Boris just shuke his head and went back to work.

"So what was that all about a minit ago?" Jenna asked

Balto just sighed.

"it's cuse of my 'tanted heritage' and if you havent note'sed it's been going on for a long time now ever since i showed up here as an orphan."

At the word of orphan Jenna wunted to know more but decied against it.

"What are you doing back here anywas?" Balto asked.

"Lets just say Steel wont be siting right for awhile."

"Realy? what did you do?"

"Steel tryed puting the move's me and back his caboose into the open door of a stove." She said cracking a confident smile.

"And let me geass you then made a run for?"

Jenna sighed in defet.

"Yes i did and now i can seme to find my way back to the station."

Balto then got an idea.

"i can get you back to the station if you'ed like."Balto asked hopefuly.

"lead the way." Jenna said

Balto then looked back towards Boris to ask if he need any help clening 25 Boris just looked at Balto and said.

"go on i'll finish up here."

and with that Balto took Jenna's hand.

"Falow me."

And then the two started off.


	3. Life of an outcast

Chapter III.

The two had been walking for about 15 minutes now and believe it or not this had been the longest time he had spent with Jenna were Steel hadn't run him of or his shyness getting the better of him and soon the two arrived at the station.

Jenna turned to Balto.

"thank you for getting me back here."

"You…Your welcome."

Balto said his face going red with embarrassment.

Then two heard someone calling Jenna's name.

"Jenna!...Jenna Williams!"

Jenna recognized the voice of that of her father.

"Well looks like my dad's looking for me so i better get going and again thanks for getting me back..."

She said stopping mid sentence when she turned and saw that Balto was gone she was about to see where he had gone when her father came upon her.

"Jenna...Jenna…oh there you are were the heck have you been?"

"it's a long story."

"Got a bit of a walk home you can tell me on the way."

"sure thing dad."

And with that the two walked off as Balto poked him self out from behind a pile of railroad tie's once again his shyness when he's around her had got the better of him he just hung his head and headed back to the engine servicing track

Boris had just finished up on 25 when he saw Balto walking his way.

"Vell how'd it go?" he asked but Balto just kept walking.

"Oh zhis cant be good." Boris said walking after Balto.

Boris fallowed his friend into an empty storage shed and saw him sitting on a crate looking out the window.

"Balto vhats wrong vith you, You leave vith Jenna looking like you vere on top of vorld now you come back looking like you hit rock bottom."

Balto just sighed and kept looking out the window.

"Boris you know as well as i do that she could never truly love a half wolf like me, She'd much rather hook up with an Engineer like...Steel."

Boris sighed and said.

"Look Balto zhere is nothing wrong vith being part wolf."

"Oh ya give me one reason."

"Vell zhere is...uh...vell.."

To tell the truth Boris was stumped

"That's what I thought." Balto said annoyed.

"Never mind ve still have a job to do so come on."

Boris said preparing to go out the door then Balto got up from the crate and fallowed the old Russian back to the engine servicing track.

The rest of the work day was uneventful it was just a regular work day with different locomotives coming and going from the engine servicing track.

It was 6:10 PM when they finally punched out and headed back home which was nothing but an old fishing boat that had been washed up along the beach.

When they got there Balto headed for what use to be the boat's wheel house when he got there he picked up an old blanket then sate in a chare by the wall of the wheel house to rest a little.

While Boris grabbed a mop and a bucket of water and started to mop the deck which was a bit redundant because the boat was a mess no mater how much he cleaned but he try's.

While Balto was resting a familiar sent come to his sensitive woven nose.

"That time of the day already?"

Balto said to himself as he got up from the chare and put his work boots back on and walked over to Boris.

"Umm Boris?" Balto asked

"Vhat now?" Boris asked not even turning his head.

"Well it's..." Balto was about to say some when he and Boris heard something in the distance and getting closer.

"Uncle Boris!"

"oh no." Boris muttered

" Well speck of the devil here they come." Balto said slightly amused.

And sure enough a small white anthro Polar bear was running right towards the old Russian.

Boris picked up the water bucket and brought it up like shield bumping the water in it out all over the bottom part of his pants and boots and braced for the inevitable impact

But then he opened his eyes to find the polar bear had stopped maybe a foot from him he sighed in relief and backed up into the little polar bears much larger brother who picked the old Russian up in a big bear hug all the while whit Boris trying to get free.

Balto couldn't help but be slightly amused at the sight unfolding be for him but then again this would happen usly every time theses two would show up.

The small one named Muk was the brains of the two.

The big one named Luk was you could say was the muscle of the two.

An interesting thing about Luk is he cant realy talk he just whimpers and for some reason Muk can translate what ever Luk says.

At this point Boris was able to get him self free and started straightening his pants and jacket and was about to straighten his hat until he found it wasn't on his head like it should be he looked back and sure enough there was Luk with his hat.

"Give me zhat!" Boris said grabing the hat out of Luks hand and started to straighten it out.

Luk then whimpered something to Muk.

"What are you talking about of course he's glad to see us he loves us...don't you? Muk translated.

Boris sighed and said.

"Hay boys lets play a game."

One thing was for sure it got there attention.

"Ok race into shoal ONE TWO THREE GO!" and Muk and Luk took off like a bullet from a gun

"Zhat should keep zhem dizzy." Boris said but he spoke to soon when he and Balto both heard Muk calling out

"HELP WE CAN SWIME!"

Boris took one look at Balto and the two ran towards the shoals only to find Muk and Luk flopping around in the shallow's still screaming they where drowning .

Boris the tried there attention .

"Bears...fella's...IDIOT BALLS OF FLUFF!"

"Ease now Boris you know how they are, Muk Luk relax it's ok your not drowning."Balto said taking over for Boris only to have the old Russian butted back in not long after Balto had stopped talking.

"He has point bears you are not drowning because if you vould take one moment to observe ZHAT TIDE IS OUT!" Boris then turned and started heading back to the boat when he heard Luk mumble some thing and he stopped in his track's.

"He said vhat?" Boris said with a raised eyebrow

"Oh the sham of Polar Bear whom fear's the water no wonder we are shunned by are fellow bear woo is us...It's what he said kind of pathetic really" Muk replied a little sheepishly.

Boris just rolled his eye's as he, Balto, Muk and Luk headed back to the boat for the night


	4. A dark day

Chapter IV

The next morning started out like any other.

But out of the public eye things were starting to happen that would soon turn Nome upside down for in the only hospital the town's only doctor Curtis Welch was sitting alone in his office.

He rubbed his tired eyes so fare he had seen four people with the same symptoms a high fever, chills, sore throat, cough, headache, and so on.

At this point Doc Welch was begging to worry if it was Diphtheria if it was then Nome would in real hot water because the last supply of antitoxinwhich had arrived some time back in 1860 had expired**. **So if an epidemic started they would all be out of luck so for the time being Doc Welch was going to keep a close eye on this.

Meanwhile back in the main train yard Balto and Boris had just punched in. Not needing to be told where to go the two started heading towards pit 9. But just as they were about to leave the yard office balto heard people talking inside the building and much to Boris's protest he walked towards the door and put an ear to it.

"Did you hear there are now four people that appear to have Tonsillitis?" One asked.

"Call me craze but I don't think its Tonsillitis." The other replied.

"What makes you say that?"

"Tell me Frank have you ever seen four people have it at the same time?"

"Well no not really" Frank replied

"Exactly my point."

"Well Bill what do you think it is?"

"I don't really know but I've got a bad felling about it." Bill said heading for the door at that point Balto backed away from the door and hide besides the building.

Seconds later the door opened and out walked Bill and Frank once the two railroader's were out of sight Balto came out from behind the building and Boris who had tried to stay out of sight came out of his spot in of all place's an outhouse.

"What was all that about?" He asked.

"Something about a bunch of people who have been getting sick lately. Balto said.

"And what does that have do whit anything?"

"I'm not too sure but if there are train crews talking about it. It must something be big."

"It is none of our business of what is happening in town are only business is to get are spot before the boss finds out."

Boris said heading towards the Engine servicing track with Balto fallowing behind.

Meanwhile Things were starting to take a turn for the worst for the Williams.

Rose Williams Jenna's little sister had developed nasty cough and a milled fever not long after returning to Nome earl yesterday both her Mom and Dad said it would all blow over and she would be fine the next day.

But the next morning she woke up worst then yesterday this got Jenna and her Mother and Father worried so they both decided to check her in with the Doctor.

Meanwhile Balto and Boris had just stent another serviced engine on its way and just as the engine began to steam away Balto caught the teal end of a conversation between the Engineer and the Firemen.

"Did you hear there's now seven people now checked into the doctor."

"Same symptoms as the other's?"

"Yep."

"Well this can't end well."

This got Balto to wondering about just how bad this really was

Hours later the day shift crew's punched and started heading home.

As Boris and Balto head back to their boat/house Balto couldn't help but think about what he had heard from the crew of the engine they had serviced early that day about there being more people being checked into the Doctor's with all the same symptoms.

"Was it is that bad?" Balto thought to himself.

But he brushed the thought from his mind and kept on walking throe the snowy streets it was late in the evening when the two arrived back home Boris went about his usual task of moping the old wooden deck of the boat While Balto was standing at the bow of the boat looking out towards Nome thinking.

Unbeknownst to him Boris walked up beside him.

"And what is so interesting?"

"Jenna..."

"Is love, so why don't you make move?"

Balto Just sighed.

"Look Boris we've been over this before beside's she not my type anyways."

"And why not it is this wolf business, you know some times I wish like crazy I was part American."

"Why." Balto asked rising an eyebrow.

"Better looking for one thing und people understand you better for another."

Meanwhile back in town Jenna was standing outside the hospital desperately wanting to know if Rosy was ok but she as well as a few others were was orders from Doc Welch that if they went showing any symptoms they were to say away from the hospital.

The only one's aloud inside where the sick the doctors, the nurses and the parents of the sick.

So all Jenna could do was watch from a window and hope for the best.

At this point Balto had decided to go and try to talk to Jenna.

As he walked throe the quite streets he past a broken mirror he stopped by it and looked into as he tried to fix a tuft of hair that just wouldn't stay down when he figured it wasn't going to stay he continued walking until he came upon Jenna looking into the window of the hospital.

"Um Jenna?" He asked nervously

Jenna only turned around.

"Oh Balto hi." She said quietly only to turn back to the window.

"Hi...Look Uh just a shot in the dark but I was wondering if...I don't know you would to go chase a few stick's by moon light?" Balto said chuckling at the last bit.

But Jenna didn't respond she just kept looking throe the window

"Jenna?" he asked walking up to her.

"Rosie's in there" Jenna said.

"In the hospital why?"

She felt worm and she has a terrible cough, Balto what's wrong with her?"

Balto razed an eye brow.

"I'm not sure but I know how to find out come on."

He said leading her around to the back of the hospital stopping next to the door that led to the hospital basement.

"You could say I have the keys to the city." He said as he used his wolf like claws to remove two lose door hinge pens once removed all he had to do was slid the door to the side.

"After you." Balto said gesturing towards the door with his hand.

For the first time Jenna could get a good look at Balto's hands and was kind of shocked to see just how big they compared to hers or her dad's they were definitely not the hands of a dog.

Balto saw her staring at his hands and chuckled slightly and as he walked throe the door he said.

"Big paws kind of run in my family...at least one side of my family." He said leading her down the steps to the basement boiler room.

Once inside he started leading her into the darker parts of the basement.

"Stick close." He said.

"No problem there." Jenna said a little unease sticking as close to Balto as possible

"It's so gloomy down here...not that I'm scared or anything..."

She spoke to soon gasping when she nearly walked face first into a spider wed.

Only to Have Balto Brush the wed away with his hand.

"Gloomy, you kidding? It's the most beautiful spot in world, People travel for years to just to be right here."

"Here I can't see why?" Jenna said.

"That's because you're looking at the blow half empty."

Balto said walking ahead of her stopping next to a grate in the floor above them.

"See this it's the polar icecaps."  
Balto said using his boot covered foot to push a bunch of broken bottles under the grate.

"Balto those are broken bottles and there not half empty there all empty." Jenna said.

"The sun…" Balto said gesturing up at the grate.

"Balto…" Jenna said a little unease thanking Balto had lost his mind.

"And to the North…" Balto said stepping to the side letting light from the grate shine throe hitting the bottle's reflecting the light throe the bottles creating a beautiful reflection of the Northern Lights on the fare wall of the basement.

"Balto your right it's beautiful."

"Yeah… beautiful"

The two didn't know it but they standing much closer to etch other maybe a few inches closer.

They didn't realize how close till the light disappeared and the sound of footsteps could be heard over head.

The two moved closer to the great and saw the feet of Doc Welch and Jenna's Mom and Dad.

Doc Welch: Good night Rosie.

Rosie: I'm so cold.

Doc Welch: We'll have another blanket for you right here, you stay warm and get some rest

No sooner did Welch stop talking he started walking towards his office with Jenna's Mom and Dad fallowing behind.

Balto and Jenna fallowed the footsteps to another great in the floor of Doc Welch's office.

Jenna's Father: Doctor how is she.

Doc Welch: Exhausted from coughing and her fever's getting worse (sight) it looks like Diphtheria she's the 18th case this week…and I'm out of antitoxin.

Balto was shocked at this turn of events he turned to where Jenna had been standing only to find the spot empty and saw here running back towards the boiler room with tears in her eyes.

"Jenna I…Jenna I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you I shouldn't of taken you down there."

"No I'm glad you did."

Suddenly there was a great commotion out said the basement door and soon a figure walked down the basement stares.

As soon as Blato and Jenna got a good look at the figure they both realized it was Steel sausage links in hand with a nerve's look to his face.

However that look changed when he noticed Jenna completely ignoring Balto's presents in the room.

"Well, well what's wrong with this picture?" Steel said walking up to Jenna. "Jenna join me for dinner you start at one end I start at the other and when we get to the middle…well you tell."

"All right steel that's enough out of you Steel." Balto said taking a defensive step towards him.

Jenna Just stepped in between the two shooting Balto a look of "Let me handle It." and walked closer to Steel.

This only made Balto raise in eye brow as to what she was doing till she motioned her head towards the basement furnace at that Balto could only wonder what she was going to do.

"Gee Steel I have to admit the offer is very tempting."

"It is." Steel said unknowingly stepping back towards the furnace door.

"These days I prefer my meat "cooked."

Before Steel realized it he had backed his backside right into the door of the furnace Howled in pain as he pulled his burning seat away from the furnace door.

Using the confusion to their advantage Balto and Jenna made a run for the basement door once outside Balto shut the door behind him for getting the hinge pines in the door were no longer there only to be remained of such when Steel came shooting out of the basement sending the door flying off to the side before tripping and falling on top of Balto and Jenna.

The commotion they caused sure drew attention to them self's when they not only saw the light from a lantern but voices around the corner of the building heading their way.

Balto told Jenna to fallow him not wonting her to get in trouble she fallowed.

Steel who was not about to be cout red handed throw the sausage links at the fleing Wolf dog and the raped around his legs causing him to fall into the snow.

When the light of the lantern came upon him he saw to figures one was that of Jenna's father and the town Marshal a Middle aged human with a revolver in hand.

"Well now what do we have here." Mr. Williams said in more of a statement rather than a question.

"I knew this mutt was no good when I first saw him." The Marshal said leveling his gun at the half wolf struggling to get free of the sausage links raped around his legs.

Balto would have said something to clear his name but he realized it would useless and to add insult in injury Steel walked up to the Marshal.

"Good thing I was here to hold this thief down until y'all arrived." he said in a manner that made it sound like he had been on Balto's tail.

"In that case you've earned these Mr. Johnson." The Marshal said gun still trained on Balto as he bent down to pick up the sausage links and hand them to Steel.

He then turned to Balto.

"And as for you, you better get gone…WELL GO ON GET!"

Balto didn't need to be told twice and ran for his life.

Jenna tried to fallow the fleeing half wolf only to have her father grab her by the bright red bandana she wears around her neck.

"Come Jenna were going home." Her father said as he and the Marshal lead her out of the ally.

Balto came sliding out from the side of the Hospital with only his boots keeping himself from falling over as he rounded the corner of the building heading back towards the boat not seeing a man hang a sign on the hospital door….

Quarantine…


End file.
